Instant Pot Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner

Today's Kitchen gadget: Instant Pot Duo60 6 quart Electric Pressure Cooker.

 At this moment, Amazon has a clip and save $3.50 coupon.

This is the model I use the most. Almost 40 thousand people seem to like it too.

Today's Recipe: (really just directions)Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (7.25 oz.)

You might think this is silly, and is just as easily & quickly done on the stove. Might I respectfully disagree.

Using your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker, there is no stirring, no testing to see if the macaroni is done, no boiling over onto the stove, no straining.

Put in your ingredients and go off and do something. Pour a well deserved glass of wine maybe?

Warning: This easy method could start a bad habit of feeding your mac and cheese craving at anytime of the day or night. 😅

Note: Before beginning this or any other recipes, make sure your silicone gasket fits tightly. If not, run it under cold water or pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes. This will contract it back into shape. The gasket gets loose with use.

Here are the easy directions:

One 7.25 oz box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
(Macaroni & Packet)
1 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of milk
4 TBS. butter

To your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
add butter, water, milk and macaroni.

Using the Manual or Pressure Cook button,
set your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker to 5 minutes (4 if you like your macaroni al dente). Quick release.

If it sputters while releasing, pulse it a bit. Do not cover the vent with a cloth, as it needs to be unobstructed to work properly and safely.
Uncover when fully vented, stir in the cheese packet.

Enjoy!

Bread Machine Italian Bread dough - Braided, then Oven Baked

The aroma of fresh baked bread brings back memories of my Nonna's kitchen.
This is one of the recipes I love to make! It's my "never fail" recipe. 
So easy, so delicious!

You make the dough in your bread machine, braid, then bake it in the oven.
 Photos at the bottom of this post.
Mangia!

Italian Braided Bread with Sesame Seeds

Liquid Ingredients:

Pour into bread machine.

1 1/3 cup warm water (100 degrees F)

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

Stir the below into a bowl to mix, then add to the bread machine.

Dry Ingredients

4 cups AP Flour or Bread flour (or any combination of both)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Bread Machine Yeast

2 Tbsp light brown sugar 

Egg wash & sesame seeds - for later.

Choose "Dough" cycle 

After it beeps, usually one hour thirty minutes, turn out onto counter or large cutting board. 

Separate into three pieces, about 9.5 oz. each.

Roll each piece into a 12 - 14 inch log.

Place onto a half sheet pan lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper. 

Braid, cover, let rest 35 - 40 minutes.

Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees (check at 25 min. if your oven backs hot.)

Gadgets used:

Bread machine 

Bench scraper

Kitchen scale
Silpat/silicone mat

Half sheet pan